Dozier lifts Memphis to 49th straight conference win

Jan 31, 2009 - 9:03 PM
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Robert Dozier collected 19 points
and 10 rebounds to lead a balanced attack as 19th-ranked Memphis
continued its domination of Conference USA foes Saturday with an
83-68 victory over Houston.

Dozier was one of five starters to score in double figures for
Memphis (18-3, 7-0), which has won 49 straight conference games
dating to March 2, 2006. The Tigers have won 12 in a row
overall.

It looked like the latest win would be another cakewalk as the
Tigers raced to a 15-0 lead less than four minutes into the
contest.

However, the Tigers allowed the Cougars (12-7, 3-3) to chip away
and get back into the game.

Dozier scored 11 points in the first half, which ended with the
Tigers holding a 43-38 lead.

Doneal Mack added 18 points, Antonio Anderson 16, Shawn Taggart
11 and freshman Tyreke Evans 10 for the Tigers, who used a 19-9
surge in just over a six-minute stretch of the second to take
control of the game for good.

"We're a veteran enough team and an experienced enough team to
know that when a team like that comes back you fold a little
bit," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "But we've been through
so many things that when you think about the last four years and
what we've been through, no team is going to give up."

Aubrey Coleman, returning from a one-game suspension after
stomping on the face of Arizona's Chase Budinger, scored a
career-high 35 points to lead Houston, which has lost three
straight and four of its last five contests. Coleman worked
hard to score his points, making 11-of-30 shots.

"He (Aubrey Coleman) needed a little help tonight. They make you
play a different game," Texas coach Tom Penders said. "They
don't allow you to run your plays, so you've got to be able to
break them down off the dribble. You can't just run your sets."

After digging an early hole, the Cougars hit back-to-back
3-pointers to open the second half to take their first lead.

But the lead was short-lived, as the Tigers answered with a 14-4
burst to take the lead for good. The talented Evans converted a
pair of layups and Willie Kemp and Mack each drilled shots from
the arc during the run.

Memphis gradually increased the lead, using a stifling defense
which held Houston without a field goal for over a seven-minute
span at one point.